NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this bell ringer activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?

SUMMARY

President Trump's travel ban potentially affects thousands of people, including one young girl from Afghanistan. We’re calling her Saira, blurring her face and altering her voice to protect her identity for her safety. She spoke with producer Zeba Warsi from Pakistan where she traveled for her U.S. visa appointment. Now, she doesn’t know where to go.

View the transcript of the story.

News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

1. Why did PBS News Hour hide the girl's identity by blurring her face, altering her voice, and giving her a different name?
2. When did the Taliban take over Afghanistan?
3. What was Saira studying in her first year of university before the Taliban banned women and girls from school?
4. How does Saira intend to use her future U.S. education and political science degree to help women in her country?
5. Where did Saira travel to for her U.S. student visa appointment?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

1. Why is education important? Furthermore, why should we recognize the right to education as a basic human right?
2. In what ways does education help provide people with the tools they need to advocate for themselves and their communities?

Media literacy: How can hearing directly from those impacted change the way we think about certain laws and government policies?

WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO

Read this article to learn more about how the Taliban have banned millions of Afghan girls from secondary education and the profound impact this could have on the future of these girls, as well as on society as a whole.

You can also watch the video below to learn about Pashtana Durrani, an Afghan education activist who runs an organization helping thousands of Afghan girls get an education despite the Taliban's ban.

Discuss:

1. What risks do Afghan women like Pashtana Durrani face by speaking up and working to educate girls?
2. How can learning about the courage of people like Pashtana Durrani inspire us to take action in our own communities?
3. What are some actions you or others can take to support the efforts of those fighting for the right to education for women?

Written by Brooke Ingemi, PBS News Hour Classroom's intern and senior at Amherst College, and News Hour's Vic Pasquantonio.

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